Phases

1.Early Chalukyan(Durga temple Aihole Papanatha temple,Virupaksha temple-in Pattadakal)

2.Vijayanagar Style(Vittalha temple)

3.Late Chalukyan(Hoysala period)-(Keshava Temple or Hoysalesvara temple-Belur)

Temples-GENERAL

!!!The temple is considered as the body of Purusha ,which is behind all the seen phenomena in spirit and
it is found in all the creted things in some degree or another.Human form,being perfect is conceived as
the “the Temple of Brahman”.This shows clearly the in-dwelling nature of the universal soul in the
individual,which attained for the achievement of organic unity.Still…the temple architecture reflects the
spiritual ideal of the race.For Indians,temple is the house of God and the image of God in the temple
represents the immortal spirit.

-classified in 8 major categories based on the basis of their plans: gajapristha; ekakuta, dvikuta, trikuta,
chatuskuta, panchakuta,saptakuta and navakuta.
-the dynasties had had a major influence on the birth of the temples,while the rulling classes on their
protection and promotion
-Buddhism;Jainism,Hinduism-important in the construction of temples,stupas and bastis.-

The plans-2 plans-SQUARE and CIRCULAR.few temples rectangular ,circle rect. and elliptical
plans=>modification of the square and circle.the “star shape” also a modif. Of the circle.Circular temples
are generally for female deities .The rectangular temples are generally intended for reclining figures of
Vishnu but also for goddesses.

!!!The temple architecture relating to the human organism-very important! – if not complete,attains
sygnificanse when it is infused with spirit.+ the presence of Parusha`s body as a symbol for horizontal
and vertical structures.

-Sandhara=temples with circulatory around the garbhagriha

-Nirandhara=temples without…

HINDUISM
-the largest number of temples in India
-used rocks for their works just like the Buddhists=>CAVES
EARLY PERIOD- temples simple in decoration and small

-UNKNOWN WORDS:shrine=most sacred part of a temple

-Analyse on -the plans
-the treatment of exterior walls
-shape of towers on sikharas
-the pillars
-the design and execution of doorways
A temple has 6 parts-
1)theAdhisthana(basement),Pada(pillar),Prastara(entablature),Gala(neck),sikhara(head) and stupid
(fleuron)
The height of a temple is twice its breadth ,having been devidedinto 8 parts ,one part to neck,2 parts to
head and 2 parts to fleuron.
!-when the pillar is enlarged it produces the effect of pilaster.

Durga temple-8th Century A.D,of early Chalukyas of Badami-AIHOLE

-Situated in the village within the fort,facing East
-dedicated to Durga
-Sikhara-built in the Rekha Nagara style.
-Materials:sand stone

-at the top is a cushion-shaped grooved disk (amalaka), and above that a pot with a crowning finial
The sikhara developed during the Gupta period (4th–6th century AD) and steadily grew taller and
more elaborate, as in the soaring tower of the 11th-century Lingaraja Temple in Bhubaneswar. In a
variation of the basic form, half spires are added on either side of the sikhara; excellent examples are
the 10th-century Laksmana and 11th-century Kandarya Mahadeva temples at Khajuraho, Madhya
Pradesh. In addition to the curved sikhara, there is a smaller, rectilinear type frequently used above the
temple mandapas (halls).

-The Structure- The temple stands on a very high adhisthana,consists of a upana,a

dvipatta,a gala,a multifluted kumuda,a narrow gala and a tripatta.
-The Entrance is marked through a smaller porch; 4 pillars placed on a
stone bench
-The temple has a main core-the central nave surrounded by pillars,with
a rare disposition on one side and another and more dense on the circular part,emphasizing the
intention of diminishing the light in the garbhagriha=>the sacrality of the space obtained through the
small number of openings.
-The pillars-square,have a patta and a half medallions at the base.They
are generally short and solid which together generating the overall impression more of a solid and
opturant mass
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-The garbhagriha-absidal shape(usually dating from the early times of Buddhists) and their name is
related to the shape of the elephant(…)combination of the 2 main shapes circle and square,the circle
meaning is to emphasize the core/the statue of the deity..if there is one
-built on a higher level than the pillared hall
-there are 28 pillars-they contain large reliefs of Mithunas.
- the garbhagriha without deity,built on a higher level than the pillared hall
 -the garbhagriha dvara has sakas decorated with scrolls and pillasters
-architrave above the doorway –contained probably a pavilion and is completely
damaged
-above the most sacrate part of the temple ,grabhagriha(which doesn t contain any
statue of a deity), is the Rekha Nagara sikhara,( damaged).

-Damaged-the beams,the top of the sikhara,the pavilion up the architrave

-some of the chauk below the ceiling are converted into ventilators
-the finishing of the door way of the hall is exquisite
-the the ceiling is flat and contains (2) fine sculptures of Naga and a matsya chakra
-the shaft of the pillars are decorated with a patta
-the outer face of the walls have large niches containing sculptures of deitities.
-the koshthas contain loose sculptures of Harihara,Vishnu,….???
-The outer pradakshinaptha is wider than the inner closed pradakshina.

-The decoration –the medallions of the pillars carved with floral

designs,peacocks,elephants,rossettees and several gods and goddesses.
-the front railing is decorated with yakshas,pavilions ,false windows
,rampart lions(symbol of power),There are 2 flights of stepts built on the sides of the front portion of
the temple.

Virupaksha Temple
-dedicated to Saiva
-faces East
The temple consists of garbhagriha(sanctuarul templului-altar) with pradakshinapatha,an
antarala,mahamandapa,mukha-mandapa on East/North and South,nandi mandapa ,prakara wall around
the temple with mahadvara towards East and wicket gate with mandapatowads West.
The garbhagriha is square and enshrines a big SHIVA LINGA on a circular pitha
-inside garbhagriha dvara is elaborated with sakhas

Garbhagriha=shrine,the most important part of a temple

Antarala=vestibule,chamber in front of shrine;a cella
Pradakshinapatha=processional aass

-Temples built in the same period-late chalukyan,both being built by Ketamalla,a minister of
of Vishnuvardhana the Hoysala ruler who also built the Belur temple.

-The The Hoysaleswara  temple enshrines Hoysaleswara and Santaleswara. Hoysaleswara is named
after the builder Vishnuvardhana Hoysala and Santaleswara after his wife, Queen Santala.  The sancta
are built on a stellar plan, with a sukhanasi, navaranga and Nandi Mandapa. Each of these (temples) 
resembles the Belur Chennakesava temple in plan The Hoysaleswara temple is a masterpiece, studded
with a profusion of carvings. Thousands of figures appear on its walls. The basement of the temple has
the most richly sculptured friezes. Horsemen charge, war elephants charge, all in stone. Scenes from
the Ramayana and the Mahabharata add to the grandeur.

The unicity of the Hoysalesvara temple is given by the dubled structure,which symbolize the
Hoysaleswara(name after the builder) and Santaleswara
FORM.TRANSFORMATION.MEANING
Housalesvara Temple and the Chennakeshava Temple

Introduction-1… beyond building

“The rich will make temples for Shiva.What shall I a poor man do?My legs are are the pillars,the body
,the shrine,the head,a cupola of gold” (BAssavanna 11 th century-religious and social reformer)

Temples architecture explore,in their basic creational project, a tight connection between the
traditional forms of architecture and the methapysical ideas which dominate their process of
development.This idea leeds to a further established connection between the archetypes as models and
a formal dynamism in their construction.Manifestation in transient,finite multiplicity of
timeless,limitless,are all beliefs present in Indian thought and further on,in temple`s non-static ,non-
obiding ,ever-growing,decaying,vanishing forms of architecture.The german indologist,Heinrich Zimmer
gives a vivid overview of this phenomena: “The solid static mass of stone,by a subtle artifice of the
craftsman,has been converted into a dynamorphic event.In this respect,this piece of sculpture is more
like a motion picture than a painting”.

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-temples-finest expression of the traditional creation-include an esthetical refinement but
exclude the intellectual one.

“All that is wild in human faith and warm in human feeling is portrayted in these walls, but of
pure intellect there is little –less than there is of human feeling in the Parthenon”.(James
Fergusson)

-Comparison James.Fergusson Hoysalesvara-Parthenon-2 opposite poles-alfa and omega of

architectural design
;the best exemples of their class and between these 2 extremes lie the whole range of the
art.The Parthenon-best exemple of pure rafined intellectual power applied in the production of
architectural design
Hoysalevara-is the opposite it is reguolar but with a studied variety of outline in plan and
Even greater variety in detail.
-All the pillars ijn Parthenon are identical while no 2 facets of Indian temple are the same ,every
convolution of every scroll is different,no 2 cannopies in the whole building are alike.
 Halebid (‘The Old Capital’) was the administrative centre of the Hoysala kingdom in the 12th century,
when it was known as Dorasamudra. The area enclosed by the remains of the city’s ramparts include
several other temples apart from the Hoysalesvara. Dedicated to Siva, this was founded in about 1121
and completed in the reign of Narasimha I (1142-73). It is the largest of the Hoysala temple series, and
its spectacular climax. In general design it resembles the Chenna Kesava Temple at Belur.
The Hoysalesvara is actually a complex of two identical temples, with two sanctuaries and two
mandapas (halls) which are linked together to create a large interior space. They are not fully enclosed,
but have open porches at the edges. Each has its own Nandin shrine and image before it to the east.
They are columned halls, with stepped plans. To the rear of each are the two separate sanctuaries. The
whole complex stands upon a high plinth which repeats in plan the complex shapes of the buildings
standing upon it. The lower sections of all the walls are decorated with elaborate friezes including rows
of elephants, lions, horses, scrollwork, scenes from the Mahabharata and Ramayana, makaras (water
monsters) and goose/plant hybrids. There are numerous figures of Krishna and the gopis, and scenes
from courtly life and hunting expeditions.
The outer walls consist of sculptured panels depicting various divinities in lively poses beneath
scrollwork or foliage, all in the characteristic style of the period. Subjects are both Vaishava and Saiva.
The vimanas (towers) were never completed. The doorways to the columned mandapas are flanked by
large dvarapalas (guardians) in swaying poses, exuberantly decorated with jewels and tassels. The outer
wall consists of pierced stone screens set between the outer columns. As at Belur, these include both
lathe-turned and multi-faceted examples, with brackets on the central ones carved as dancing apsarases
and musicians carved almost in the round. The corbelled ceilings are decorated with friezes of miniature
figures. The shrines themselves contain votive images in the form of polished lingas.

-the independence of the builder from the western chalukyas –the cause that generated the temple
born and imposing structure. –monumente
- carvings reflecting social life in Belur are not as many, partly because the narrative panels are few in
the Belur temple, when compared to Halebid.

There is the danger of a deterministe and essentialist opinion in what regard the Indian temples in
general as one must bear in mind human actions ,while not ignoring general tendencies,point out
analogies,but not pretend to know what causes what ,find the patterns,but not let them dominate
everything which is more likely to happen
-the proportions of the temples have changed along time,the accuracy of the finishings,the
The Volumetric movement
The tectonic movement looks at plans, as the ground projection from which the upper structures
emerge.

marking ascendently the main parts that compose the temple: the solid platform, having the purpose of
processional path, the temple itself structured in various layers of friezes and the upper part, which no
longer exists, the pyramidal structure, the sikhara.
( …)
In the Hoysalesvara temple`s case, one secondary effect of the plan extrudance is the great variety of
light and shade obtained through the vertical planes like facets in the body of the building. Through
staggering or multiple projection of the wall, along the temple surface, has resulted a softened crossing
from the areas to be enlightened to the dark and abstract surfaces from the back.